NEW YORK, NY (May 16, 2023) – The American Kennel Club (AKC) is pleased to announce the judging panels for the 2023 National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) Finals and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. The NOHS Finals will be held on December 15 & 16, 2023 and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes will be held on December 15, 2023.
Best in Show for the 2023 NOHS Finals will be judged by Mr. Dennis B. Sprung on Saturday evening. Best in Stakes will be judged on Friday, December 15th, by an elite panel of three judges:
Sporting Group |
Breed Assignments |
| Mrs. Rosalind Kramer | Barbet, Bracco Italiano, Lagotto Romagnolo, Nederlandse Koikerhondje, Flat-Coated Retriever, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, English Setter, Gordon Setter, Irish Setter, Irish Red and White Setter, Spinone Italiano, Vizsla, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon |
| Mr. Desmond J. Murphy | Brittany, Pointer, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, English Springer Spaniel |
| Ms. Lisa E. Weiss | German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wire-haired Pointer, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Curly-Coated Retriever, American Water Spaniel, Boykin Spaniel, Clumber Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel (All Varieties), English Cocker Spaniel, Field Spaniel, Irish Water Spaniel, Sussex Spaniel, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Weimaraner, Wirehaired Vizsla |
Hound Group |
Breed Assignments |
| Jane Handschumaker | Afghan Hound, Borzoi, American Foxhound, English Foxhound, Greyhound, Ibizan Hound, Irish Wolfhound, Norwegian Elkhound, Pharoah Hound, Saluki, Scottish Deerhound, Sloughi, Whippet |
| Ms. Pluis Davern | American English Coonhound, Azawakh, Basenji, Black and Tan Coonhound, Bloodhound, Bluetick Coonhound, Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, Harrier, Otterhound, Plott Hound, Portuguese Podengo Pequeno, Redbone Coonhound, Treeing Walker Coonhound, Norbottenspetts |
| Mrs. Vicki Seiler-Cushman | Basset Hound, Beagle (both varieties), Cirneco dell’Etna, Dachshund (all varieties), Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Rhodesian Ridgeback |
Working Group |
Breed Assignments |
| Robert Chaffin | Akita, Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Black Russian Terrier, Boerboel, Boxer, Cane Corso, Chinook, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, German Pinscher, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Rottweiler, Standard Schnauzer, Tibetan Mastiff, Danish Swedish Farmdog |
| Mr. David J. Kirkland | Alaskan Malamute, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bullmastiff, Doberman Pinscher, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Komondor, Kuvasz, Leonberger, Newfoundland, Portuguese Water Dog, St. Bernard, Samoyed, Siberian Husky |
Terrier Group |
Breed Assignments |
| Geoff Dawson | Airedale Terrier, American Hairless Terrier, Smooth Fox Terrier, Wire Fox Terrier, Irish Terrier, Kerry Blue Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Standard Manchester Terrier, Miniature Bull Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, Norfolk Terrier, Norwich Terrier, Parson Russell Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Welsh Terrier |
| Amy Rodrigues | American Staffordshire Terrier, Australian Terrier, Bedlington Terrier, Border Terrier, Bull Terrier (both varieties), Cairn Terrier, Cesky Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Rat Terrier, Russell Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, West Highland White Terrier |
Toy Group |
Breed Assignments |
| Linda Rowell | Affenpinscher, Brussels Griffon, Japanese Chin, Maltese, Miniature Pinscher, Pekingese, Pug, Russian Toy, Shih Tzu, Silky Terrier, Toy Fox Terrier |
| Ms. Kathleen J. Ferris | Biewer Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Chihuahua Long Coat, Chihuahua Smooth Coat, Chinese Crested, English Toy Spaniel (all varieties), Toy Manchester Terrier |
| Patricia Proctor | Havanese, Yorkshire Terrier |
| Joseph Verngetti | Papillon, Poodle (Toy), Pomeranian |
Non-Sporting Group |
Breed Assignments |
| Joseph Verngetti | American Eskimo Dog, Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Chinese Shar Pei,
Coton de Tulear, Dalmatian, Finnish Spitz, Keeshond, Norwegian Lundehund, Poodle (Miniature and Standard) |
| Patricia Proctor | Chow Chow, French Bulldog, Lhasa Apso, Lowchen, Schipperke, Shiba Inu, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier, Xoloitzcuintli |
Herding Group |
Breed Assignments |
| Nioma Stoner Coen | Australian Cattle Dogs, Bearded Collies, Berger Picard, Border Collie, Bouvier des Flandres, Briard, Canaan Dog, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Miniature American Shepherd, Old English Sheepdog |
| Mr. Thomas W. Coen | Australian Shepherd, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Puli, Pumi |
| Sheila Polk | Beauceron, Belgian Laekenois, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren, Bergamasco, Collie (both varieties), Entlebucher Mountain Dog, Finnish Lapphund, German Shepherd Dog, Icelandic Sheepdog, Mudi, Norwegian Buhund, Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Pyrenean Shepherd, Shetland Sheepdog, Spanish Water Dog, Swedish Vallhund, Lancashire Heeler |
*Panel subject to final approval.
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